Pokemon: Diamonds in the Rough
by BrinstarEX
Summary: Join Eric and his friends as they journey through the Hoenn region! Can they prevent the revival of two of history's most dangerous Pokemon--Groudon and Kyogre?
1. Desperado

16-year-old Eric's tanned hand grasped the rim of the bird's nest as he pulled himself onto the tree branch. Peering inside, he saw three, tiny blue eggs nestled in the brown mass.  
  
"Wow. Real Taillow eggs!" Eric exclaimed.  
  
One of the eggs began to twitch and shake and soon the others followed. The top of the egg cracked open to reveal a small, black bird Pokemon, covered in a slimy mess. The other two eggs hatched as well, and Eric looked on in awe. Wanting to comfort the small babies, he reached his hand out to them. Before he could touch them, however, a black blur came from the sky and began to peck at him, screeching wildly.  
  
"Ack! The mother Swellow!" Eric cried, shielding his head from the large black bird's beak and talons.  
  
Fumbling and trashing, Eric fell from the tree and landed onto the ground below with a thump, shooting pain throughout his body. Moaning, he let his head lay on the leafy ground, and looked up. He could barely make out the sun and sky from under all the trees in these woods. Still, this was a favorite resting spot for him. It was located just outside Littleroot Town, and only he and a few neighborhood kids actually came here.  
  
Eric's vision was blocked by long blonde hair flowing over his body. Rolling over, on his belly, Eric looked at the girl's sandaled feet, then up at her blue jeans, and then at her black T-Shirt. Finally, after looking at her blue eyes and blonde hair, he recognized one of his closest friends.  
  
"Hey Kristen, what's up?" Eric asked.  
  
"What are doing on the ground, Eric, you're gonna get dirty..." Kristen replied.  
  
Eric jumped up, and brushed his blue jeans, and red shirt off. Then after running his hands through his black hair to fix it up, he started to continue his conversation, but noticed a small blue creature behind Kristen's legs.  
  
"Kristen, what is that?" Eric inquired.  
  
Kristen turned around and bent down to pick up the animal, and once it was safely in her arms, wheeled back around to show her friend. Eric leaned to get a better look, and noted that it was a Pokemon, one he had never seen before, but a Pokemon nonetheless.  
  
"Mud! Mudkip!" It cried happily.  
  
Startled, Eric stumbled backwards, forcing a giggle out of Kristen.  
  
"It's called a Mudkip," Kristen explained, "I named him Neptune."  
  
"Wait...that Pokemon, is yours?" Eric asked.  
  
"Uh huh!" Kristen said, smiling, "I got him from my dad. Aren't you getting your Pokemon Trainer's license from him today too? "  
  
"Yeah, I stopped by the lab earlier today, but he wasn't around." Eric sighed, "Is he home now, or what?"  
  
Kristen's father was none other than the highly respected Professor Birch. In the tropical Hoenn region, field research was more common. Birch loved field research more than anything, constantly disappearing during the day to track Pokemon in the wild. He had promised both Eric and Kristen Pokemon today, but Eric had been unable to contact him.  
  
"Sorry Eric, he left again to observe some Pokemon." Kristen laughed.  
  
"Arrgh! Your dad is on the move constantly!" Eric said, exasperated, "How am I supposed to get my Pokemon?!"  
  
"I don't know..." Kristen replied, rubbing the back of her head, "You should've came around noon."  
  
"I'm going to go find him right now." Eric said, getting up to leave.  
  
Wandering throughout the woods, Eric glanced around, looking for any signs of humanity. He wanted to hurry and find Birch, as the sky was becoming a crimson red, signaling evening was approaching. A gentle breeze blew in the air, that and the dropping temperature made Eric shiver.  
  
Meanwhile, on the other side of the woods, a middle-aged man in a lab coat, with shorts, sport sandals and a handbag awkwardly made his way through the forest. This man, was none other than Professor Birch himself. He stopped in front a small, plump, red worm-like creature, clumsily walking along the side of a tree. Smiling, he allowed the small crawler onto his arm and lifted it to his face.  
  
"Why, it's a Wurmple. Hello there, little guy." Birch said, gruffly.  
  
"Wurrrmple!" It purred.  
  
Birch gently set it onto the shrubbery below, and got ready to continue his field research. Unbeknownst to Birch, a sleek shadowy creature made its way through the greenery it's blood red eyes fixated on the human pray. Birch bent over to pick some Oran berries to the Pokemon he had with--  
  
"Oh! That's right!" Birch exclaimed, "Eric was supposed to get his Pokemon today, too! He must be waiting for me back at the lab!"  
  
Birch turned to head home, but as soon he turned around he saw a four- legged lupine Pokemon. Covered in gray fur, and a glossy black mane that ran from its head down to its tail, the Pokemon lowered its head and bared its fangs, growling low. It's fiery red eyes pierced Birch's hazel ones, and cold sweat began to pour down his neck.  
  
"A-a M-Mightyena.." Birch stammered.  
  
He had seen Mightyena in the wild, whilst observing them, but he was never considered to be food by one. He would have to chase it away with the Pokemon he was carrying with him. His hand shaking, Birch reached for the Pokeballs in his bag. The Mightyena could smell his fear, its eyes swerved to the bag and then to Birch. The wolf-like Pokemon lunged for the professor. Screaming, Birch dropped the bag, and made a break for it. Running like mad, he prayed for his life, so that he could she his wife and daughter again....  
  
"PROFESSOR BIRCH!!!" Eric yelled, jogging through the woods.  
  
He was tired of this, he was promised a Pokemon today, and dang it he was going to get it. Running out of breath, he decided to sit down and take a break from searching. When he leaned over, his butt landed on something squishy. Quickly standing back up, Eric turned around in time to see what was about to attack him.  
  
"Shrooooomish! Shroooo!" the small mushroom Pokemon yelled.  
  
"Ack! A Shroomish?!" Eric exclaimed, backing away.  
  
It was too late, the Shroomish immediately let out a spray of Stun Spore. The gold haze billowed over Eric, forcing him to cover his mouth and turn tail to run. The Shroomish chased after him, trying to punish Eric for squashing it.  
  
"Neptune! Tackle!!" Kristen's voice called out.  
  
Kristen's Mudkip Neptune slammed into the side of Shroomish knocking it backwards. When it picked itself back up, it looked at Kristen, Neptune and then Eric. Knowing when to run and fight another day, Shroomish hopped into the bushes. Turning around, Kristen walked over to Eric to make sure he was alright.  
  
"You okay?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. I didn't breathe any of the spores in." Eric replied.  
  
"You shouldn't have run off on your own. We should just go back and wait for my dad. It's getting dark."  
  
"Hmm, maybe..."  
  
Their conversation was ended when Birch's cry could be heard, forcing flocks of Swellow to fly out of their trees. Birch was trembling like crazy now. He was surrounded by three Mightyenas. In his frantic fear, he had forgotten that they hunt in packs, that they would try to corner him like this. He backed up some more, and was up against the rough bark of a tree. The Mightyenas advanced onto him, licking their chops at their anticipated meal. Birch uttered a cry out, before clambering up the tree. The three wolves rushed at the base of the trunk, barking furiously at their meal that they foolishly let escape.  
  
Barely holding onto the branch, Birch looked down onto his predators below. With each bark, with each primal roar they released, frothy saliva would gush from their mouths. Closing his eyes, Birch prayed for someone—anyone to save him.  
  
Eric and Kristen were running as fast as they could, both silently hoping that Birch was okay. After a couple of feet of running, they could hear the Mightyena's loud barking, and then they came into view.  
  
"Kris! Your dad! He's up in the tree!" Eric yelled.  
  
"Oh my goodness! We've got to get him down from there!" Kristen cried.  
  
Grasping the small Pokeball from her belt, Kristen pressed the button on it, and enlarged it to the size of a small baseball. Hurling the ball at the growling Mightyenas, Kristen prepared to do battle with the beasts.  
  
"Go Neptune!!"  
  
The ball popped open, blasting energy everywhere. The silver colored energy started to form into Neptune, who shook his head around, glad to be out of confinement. Upon seeing the Mightyenas, the little Mudkip immediately struck a fighting pose, aware that it was about to engage in combat. The pack of the Mightyenas turned around to quickly dispose of the morsel.  
  
"Water Gun! Now!" Kristen ordered.  
  
Neptune inhaled, then blasted water at the dogs. All three jumped backwards to dodge the attack, their speed outclassing Neptune's. Kristen knew she wouldn't be able to take ONE Mightyena down, let alone, three. Her Mudkip was just too weak for this. But she had to at least drive them away from her father. Professor Birch was waiting for the wolves to move far enough away from the tree where he could hop down. He needed to get to his bag, and use the other 2 Pokemon. If he could just....  
  
"Eric! My bag! Go get my bag!" Birch roared. "Wha?! Okay!" Eric responded.  
  
Eric quickly made his way through the woods, until he located the bag. Grabbing the worn leather, he ran back to the battle site. Neptune was worn out from spraying Water Guns at the Mightyenas, who just dodged each blast.  
  
"Eric! Send out the Pokemon to help battle!" Birch called out.  
  
Eric rummaged through the bag, and grabbed the two Pokeballs. Hurling them, he watched the energy blasts form on both sides of Neptune. The first one was a small green lizard with a fire red belly, and large yellow eyes. Standing on two legs, it glared at its enemy. The second Pokemon was a downy orange chick with yellow wings and a head crest.  
  
"Okay...here I go..." Eric gulped. 


	2. Dawn of Adventure

The once rust colored sky was now a deep blue, the bright sparkles in the sky and cool breeze signaling nighttime. Most of the forest Pokemon had tucked in for the night, the occasional Noctowl could be heard hooting in the inky darkness. It would usually be more silent at this time, if a Pokemon Battle wasn't occurring in the woods.  
  
Neptune rammed as hard as it could into one Mightyena, knocked it back somewhat. Small drips of blood fell from the red nose of the wolf, but it immediately ran its tongue over its muzzle to lap it up. Growling lowly, the beast rushed Neptune, knocking it over completely, and placing a paw on its exposed chest. Baring its teeth, the Mightyena prepared to take its first bite.  
  
"ERIC!!" Kristen, yelled, her voice shaking, "HELP NEPTUNE!!!"  
  
Eric looked over at the downy chick Pokemon. He didn't exactly know the Pokemon's name, nor did he care at this point. Pointing at the attacking Mightyena, Eric ordered it to attack. Being a beginner Pokemon, it had no trouble obeying it's temporary "master" and rushed blindly into combat. The other two Mightyenas stood guard around the tree where Birch had climbed up, waiting to rip him apart should he fall down.  
  
"Eric! That Pokemon's called a Torchic, have it use Ember!" Birch called.  
  
There was no need for Eric to order the attack, as the Torchic heard Birch's voice and used the attack itself.  
  
"Torchic!! Torrrr!" It squealed before opening its beak and spewing out tiny cinders toward Mightyena.  
  
The attack barely fazed the beast at first, but then some of the embers got into its eye. Howling fiercely, and thrashing about, the Mightyena backed away from Neptune and Torchic. Neptune immediately flipped over onto its feet and sprayed Mightyena with a Water Gun, knocking it back a few feet. The other Pokemon, the green gecko was ready to help as well, and hopped into the air, flipped around, and slammed the wolf with its thick tail.  
  
"Whoa! What's the name for that Pokemon?" Eric asked, impressed.  
  
"That's a Treecko, and it used Slam attack!" Birch replied.  
  
Skidding back, the Mightyena growled a bit, before falling over in pain. Seeing this, the other two pack wolves decided to help, but before they could, Birch's tree branch snapped, and fell directly onto them. A huge cloud of dust and whimpering was all that could be heard, until the two beasts could be seen running into the woods. The other Mightyena limped after them, his role in the pack would be decided afterwards. Eric and Kristen rushed over to the fallen Birch, who was doubled over in pain.  
  
"Dad! You okay?!" Kristen cried.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine." Birch coughed.  
  
With that, Birch tried to stand up, but a searing pain shot through his leg and he fell over. Eric and Kristen managed to catch him, but it was clear that he had sprained his ankle.  
  
"Dad, you can't walk, we'll help you home." Kristen cooed.  
  
"Ugh. Eric, the Pokemon, go recall them into their Pokeballs." Birch said, gruffly.  
  
Eric grabbed the two Pokeballs in each hand, and clicked on them with each finger. Transparent red lasers shot from each ball, and pierced the two Pokemon, turning them into energy, and sucking them into their Pokeballs. Placing them into Professor Birch's bag, Eric hurried to catch up Kristen, who was helping her father walk back to town.  
  
The morning sun shone through the large windows of Birch's lab, if you could even call it that. Professor Birch was more talented as a field researcher, and his lab was nothing more then dozens of cardboard boxes used for storage, some houseplants, and the occasional coffee mug on a table. Birch, now in crutches, was apologizing for the events that took place last night.  
  
"Eric, sorry for yesterday. It was my recklessness that endangered you, plus I didn't a chance to give you one of the Pokemon." Birch said.  
  
"Don't sweat it," Eric replied, "To tell the truth, I'm just grateful to be alive after that ordeal."  
  
Birch laughed nervously, still shaken from yesterday's events. He then hobbled into the back room of his lab, Eric steadily following behind him. The back room was biblically disorganized. Massive amounts of discarded paperwork were strewn about, outdated magazines, and empty Pokeballs littered the shelves. The walls were decorated with cobwebs, and Eric was sure he spotted a Spinarak in the corner of the room, but he resolved to keep his mouth shut. Birch grabbed his bag from its location on the floor and removed the two Pokeballs from it.  
  
"So? Have you decided on which Pokemon you want? There's two left. Treecko and Torchic." Birch stated.  
  
Eric thought about the Pokemon and how they battled yesterday. He vaguely remembered the Treecko, since it did the least work of the three. The Torchic stood out in his mind more. Eric could still vividly recall how its Ember attack had blinded that Mightyena. The decision was clear now.  
  
"I'll take the Torchic." Eric decided.  
  
"Oh? Most of the male rookies choose Treecko. They say it's cooler looking." Birch responded, surprised.  
  
Birch handed Eric the Torchic's Pokeball. Eric immediately let the Pokemon out, so he could get a closer look at it. The ball popped open, blasting energy all over the room. Eric shielded his eyes, but Birch was used to it. The silver light took shape and formed into the Torchic from last night.  
  
"Tor! Torrchiiii!" it chirped.  
  
Eric bent down and rubbed the Torchic's head, and smiled as it purred slightly in response. He couldn't believe that he would be taking this Pokemon home with him. Lifting it up, Eric held the Torchic close to his face, and he could feel the warmth from its fire gland located within its body.  
  
"Now then little bud, you need a name," Eric started, "What would suit you?"  
  
Eric went through a list of generic fire Pokemon names, such as Blaze, Inferno, and Hothead. Each name was worse than the last, and it got to the point where Torchic was refusing some of them. Finally, Eric noted Torchic's feet, which were laced in bumpy, rough skin, and had sharp claws at the ends of the toes.  
  
"Hmm...how about Talon?" Eric suggested.  
  
"Torchiiic!" it chirped.  
  
"Looks like it likes the name Eric." Birch said, laughing.  
  
"Good, 'cause it was either that, or Beak..." Eric replied, relieved.  
  
"Eric, are you planning to challenge Gym Leaders?" Birch asked, suddenly serious.  
  
Eric zoned out for a second. The mere mention of Gym Leaders conjured up thoughts of his father. Eric didn't hate his father. No it wasn't that. Eric hated the actions of his father, what he did to him and his mother around 2 years ago. As far back as Eric could remember, his parents were always having little arguments about everything. Then as some point lost in memory, the little arguments turned to big arguments, then those big arguments turned to physi—  
  
"Eric, HELLO?"  
  
Eric's thoughts were shattered by Birch's gruff voice. He forgot where he was at first, but he quickly snapped back into reality.  
  
"Eric, I asked you a question. Are you planning to journey and challenge Gym Leaders? You are old enough to do so." Birch said, impatiently.  
  
Eric thought for a bit. Journeying around Hoenn sounded pretty nice, but if he challenged Gym Leaders, that meant he would have to face his father eventually. After leaving Eric and his wife, Eric's father opened up a Pokemon Gym in Petalburg City. Eric wasn't sure if he was ready to face him again. He didn't necessarily HATE his father. He just wanted to know why things couldn't just remain perfect between his family. Eric made his decision. He at least wanted to talk with his father.  
  
"Yes, Professor. I will challenge Gym Leaders." Eric said at last.  
  
"Well, in that case, you will need a PokeDex." Birch replied.  
  
"A PokeDex?" Eric inquired, he had heard of them before, but he never knew exactly what they did.  
  
"Yes, the PokeDex," Birch said, pulling one from his bag, "They are small hand-held encyclopedias that store the data of Pokemon within them. Point them at a Pokemon, and the infrared sensor will pick up its life signal and give you information about them. It's very useful for Pokemon battles."  
  
Birch placed the red console in a slot on his computer's hard drive. After some rhythmic humming coming from the computer, it ejected the Dex. Birch handed the PokeDex to Eric, who placed it in his pocket.  
  
"I've registered you as a Pokemon Trainer. Your ID # is 000465. This means you can legally participate in the annual Pokemon League Tournament. Provided, of course, that you actually have 8 trainer badges. Those are required to enter the tournament." Birch explained.  
  
"Got it." Eric replied.  
  
Lifting up Talon and smiling, Eric started to head out of the front door, but turned around suddenly.  
  
"Hey, uh Professor?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Where's Kristen? Is she collecting badges too?" Eric asked.  
  
"Um, no, she isn't. Kristen is training to become a Pokemon Coordinator, so she left to go travel around Hoenn collecting Pokemon Contest Ribbons." Birch answered.  
  
"Oh really? That's cool. I'll see if we could travel together." Eric said.  
  
With that, Eric said his goodbyes and head out the front door. He figured he go home and pack some stuff up first. Then he'd try to catch up with Kristen. He hoped she hadn't gotten too far, since he didn't like traveling alone.  
  
"So, you're planning to leave....TODAY?!" Eric's mom cried.  
  
Eric's mother, Janie, was always over-protective of her son. She looked very similar to Eric, except she had long black hair that flowed over her tan skin. While Eric and Kristen were always playing outside as children, she always did her best to try to keep Eric out of danger. Now she was being informed that her son was leaving her to go traveling and possibly endanger his life.  
  
"I agreed to you getting a Pokemon, but not leaving."  
  
"I know Mom, but I can't keep Talon here forever."  
  
Upon hearing this, Talon cocked his head to the side and chirped.  
  
"Plus Kristen left. I'm going to be bored out of my mind." Eric said.  
  
"Yes, but if you challenge Gym Leaders, you'll have to face..."  
  
"...Dad" Eric said, finishing the sentence for her.  
  
With that, Janie bent down and hugged her son, tears streaming down her cheek.  
  
"Look Mom, I want to see him again. Besides, I can't just stay here forever. Plus, I'm going to try and find Kristen so we can travel together. I won't be alone."  
  
The two stood there for a couple of seconds in complete silence.  
  
"Eric. You're my son, and I supposed to know what's best for you," she started, "But if you really want to do this, well, I can't stop you, can I?"  
  
"Nope." Eric said, smiling.  
  
The two of them shared a laugh. It was nervous, sad laughter, but laughter nonetheless. After a couple of hours of packing, Eric set off. It was early evening, so he hoped Kristen had slowed down so he could catch up with her. Standing on the outset of Littleroot, Eric looked back and saw his mother, Professor Birch and his wife all waving at him. Smiling, he waved back slowly and turned around. A slight breeze blew his black hair to the side.  
  
Next Chapter: Eric, Kristen, and the raging Swellow! Three ways to die! 


	3. Kristen and the determined Swellow

"SWEEEEEELLLLLLOOOOOOOO!!!!" was the loud screech that disrupted the tranquility of the forest outskirts near Oldale Town.  
  
The purple rat Pokemon, Rattata hopped into the air and bit down on the Swellow's raven black feathers, spurting crimson blood everywhere. The blackbird squawked in pain, before shaking violently and throwing the rodent off of its body. Feathers flying, the two Pokemon clashed over and over again. This was the Swellow's duty; it had to protect this area from any and all intruders. With a hard Wing Attack in the face, the Rattata finally retreated.  
  
Panting, bleeding, and downright sore, the Swellow slowly glided down onto the ground, coughing and hacking. It was an old Pokemon, and streaks of gray could be seen in its sleek black coat. Then, like magic, it perked its head up, hearing a familiar voice.  
  
"Nail! Are you okay?" the shrill young voice of a girl could be heard.  
  
The young girl, who looked like she couldn't be over 9 years of age, could be seen running onto the field. Stroking the fallen Pokemon, she once again spoke to it gently.  
  
"Hey, Nail, wake up!" she cooed.  
  
The Swellow slowly reopened its eyes, smiling at the sight of its precious Lysa. Nail once belonged to a great, and charismatic trainer named Charlie. Charlie was not only a very strong trainer, but he also took up guarding the Jirachi shrine. The Jirachi shrine, located in a small field in the woods outside Oldale, was built in hopes of the legendary Pokemon returning someday.  
  
Around 50 years ago, a huge forest fire erupted, and threatened to swallow the town whole. But when all the citizens prayed for a savior, the golden Pokemon Jirachi made its presence, glowing brightly and putting out all the flames before disappearing without a trace. Since that day, scientists were working around the clock trying to discover the truth behind Jirachi. Meanwhile, one man built a shrine for the legendary fairy. Once he passed on, Charlie inherited the shrine.  
  
Years passed, and Charlie grew very ill. Stricken by pneumonia, but still trying to protect the shrine, it was only a matter of days before he passed away. Thus, the shrine's ownership was passed on to his only daughter, Lysa.  
  
As Lysa petted Nail, she heard a small sound of leaves crunching behind her. Getting up quickly, she turned around and saw Kristen, who had left Littleroot Town earlier that day.  
  
"Um, who are you, and what do you want?" Lysa asked sternly, her eyes narrowing.  
  
"HEEEEELLLLLP MEEEEEEEEE!!!!" Eric screaming, running through the tall grassy fields of Route 101. Behind him, a swarm of bright yellow Beedrills were on the chase, craving to spear him with their stingers. Eric covered his ears as the eardrum-splitting buzz of the insect Pokemon stalked him. Tripping over a log, he tumbled down a small hill and into a shallow stream. The cool water splashed onto his face, making Eric cough and sputter. The Beedrill lowered their stingers in preparation to kill, and dive-bombed. Gasping for breath, Eric tossed the Pokeball attached to his belt, a personal gift from Professor Birch.  
  
"Go Talon!"  
  
The Pokeball burst open, spraying blinding energy everywhere. Talon the Torchic hopped out landing on the ground ready for combat. The Beedrills stopped in mid-air, and turned their focus onto little Talon. Buzzing loudly, the insectoid Pokemon bum-rushed the Torchic, trying to punish him for interfering with their hunt.  
  
"Talon! Fry them with that Ember attack you like so much!" Eric yelled.  
  
Sucking in air, Talon expelled tiny flames from its beak in a spray formation, making sure the blasts hit each and every Beedrill. One by one, the Pokemon plummeted to the ground, twitching slightly as their charred bodies littered the field.  
  
"Man, you're a tough little dude." Eric said, petting Talon.  
  
"Torrr..." it chirped.  
  
The two continued to head up north, eager to get to Oldale Town, and eager to try and locate Kristen.  
  
"Your Swellow is in bad shape." Kristen stated, concerned.  
  
Bending down, she placed a hand on the bird's forehead, but immediately retracted it.  
  
"It's has a fever as well..."  
  
Lysa held Nail the Swellow tightly, she didn't want to lose this friend, just like her father. Tears streaming down her face, Lysa asked Kristen what she should do.  
  
"There's not much you can do, you have to take it to a Pokemon Center, now." Kristen answered.  
  
"B-But, I can't leave the shrine. Who will look after it?" Lysa asked.  
  
"There's no time for that, c'mon let's go." Kristen said, grabbing Lysa's arm.  
  
The automatic doors flew open, surprising the other trainers in the Center lobby. Kristen and Lysa rushed to the front desk, making the young nurse gasp.  
  
"Hurry, it's an emergency, this Swellow could be dying!" Kristen yelled, revealing the injured bird.  
  
"Oh my gosh!" the nurse exclaimed, "hurry, come with me to the emergency room!"  
  
The three ran behind the desk and through another pair of double doors that lead to the back. As they hurried down the corridor, Kristen could see into the other emergency rooms. Flashes of trainers crying over their dying Pokemon haunted her vision, and she quickly turned her head away until they reached their room.  
  
Eric, carrying a very exhausted Torchic, finally arrived in Oldale. He wondered how many wild Pokemon attacked him, and how many Embers Talon had to blast them with. Either way, it was enough Pokemon that Talon could barely move, but luckily they had arrived at a town, where he could get to a Pokemon Center.  
  
Going through the automated doors, Eric welcomed the cool air conditioning that contrasted the blazing heat outside. The first thing Eric realized was that there was no one at the front desk, so he rang the bell on the table. While waiting for the nurse to arrive, Eric glanced around the circular center. Trainers all over were petting their Pokemon, and some were chatting on the computer stations toward the wall, retrieving and depositing Pokeballs. One trainer retrieved a Pokeball and opened it, blasting energy out. Instead of the energy shrinking, like Talon's did, it began to grow until it was bigger than the trainer. The light formed into a huge metallic creature, its large tail smashed onto the ground, and it let out a bellow, frightening all the other trainers.  
  
"Whoa! What the heck is that?!" Eric though to himself.  
  
Suddenly remembering the Pokedex that he received from Birch, Eric pulled it out and scanned the behemoth. The LCD screen on the Dex lit up, and played a little jingle.  
  
Aggron: The Iron Armor Pokemon. Aggrons are massive creatures that live deep within the Earth. Since their bodies are bonded with steel, they are impervious to most attacks. Aggrons are the evolved form of Lairon.  
  
"Excuse me sir! You know letting out fully evolved Pokemon like that is against the rules here!" a voice called out from behind Eric.  
  
The trainer, embarrassed, recalled his Aggron. Eric turned around to see the nurse, as well as Kristen and a young girl next to her.  
  
"Kristen! You're here!" Eric laughed.  
  
"Um, yeah, what are you doing here?" Kristen said, surprised.  
  
"I'm going to travel around collecting Gym Badges. I heard you were going to collect Contest Ribbons so I wanted to travel with you."  
  
"Um, sure, but right now I'm busy. This girl, her name is Lysa,...her Swellow it's dying." Kristen said, frowning.  
  
Upon hearing this, Lysa burst into tears and ran out of the Center, leaving a couple of trainers bewildered. Eric turned back to Kristen.  
  
"I think I missed something." he said.  
  
Kristen filled Eric on all of the details that Lysa had told her. About how she was appointed guardianship of Jirachi's Shrine, and about Nail the Swellow was her only family left.  
  
"The Swellow is very old, it's injured badly, and it contracted the Pokerus disease." The nurse explained.  
  
"Pokerus?" Eric and Kristen asked in unison.  
  
"The Pokerus is a rare virus that can be contracted in some Pokemon. It has different effects depending on the Pokemon. But on Nail here, these effects are hurting it, not helping. I'm afraid that Nail has 3 different ways it can die. Things are not looking good for it."  
  
Eric and Kristen both lowered their heads. Eric saw tears stream down Kristen's cheek. That was something he had never seen before. Kristen was always stern, cool, and collected. He couldn't remember anything getting to her.  
  
That night, the two trainers decided to spend the night at the Center. While Eric was passed out on the couch in the lobby, Kristen was still wide awake. She couldn't stop thinking about Lysa, and how lonely she was going to be without Nail. Getting up slowly, Kristen tip-toed to Nail's emergency room. Creaking the door slowly she approached Nail's still body. At first, Kristen was afraid Nail had died already, but it still had vital signs. Stroking her hand through Nail's black and gray feathers she spoke to it gently.  
  
"Listen Nail, I know you can hear me. You can't die yet. Not now, anyway. Lysa needs you." She whispered.  
  
The next morning, Eric and Kristen quietly approached the Jirachi Shrine. They were going to have to leave Oldale and head for Petalburg soon, and they wanted to give Lysa their condolences. However when they arrived there, they saw a frightening sight. Lysa was swatting at a large, brown, scruffy bird Pokemon with a small broom. Eric immediately pulled out his Pokedex to check the Pokemon.  
  
Fearow: The Beak Pokemon. This Pokemon has a massive wingspan, as well as an aggressive streak. Approach with extreme caution because they are known to attack humans.  
  
The Fearow squawked and took a few snaps at little Lysa, forcing her to fall over crying. Eric and Kristen quickly sent out Talon and Neptune to attack. The two basic Pokemon rushed at the wild Fearow, but with a beat of its wings, it blew them back.  
  
"Lysa! Don't worry! We'll help you stop this thing!" Kristen yelled. "Neptune! Blast it with the Water Gun!"  
  
"Talon! Follow up with Ember!" Eric ordered.  
  
Both Pokemon fired their projectile attacks at the Fearow, who simply dodged them both by flying into the air. After staying suspended in the sky for a couple of seconds, the bird flew down at the opponents leaving a trail of warped air behind it.  
  
"It's a Quick Attack!" Kristen shouted.  
  
Talon managed to hop out of the way of the attack, but Neptune wasn't as lucky. The Mudkip was slammed hard, the force of the attack knocking it into a nearby tree. Kristen gasped, as though she felt the pain her Pokemon felt. Fearow then made its beak spin rapidly, as it was preparing its Drill Peck attack. The Fearow then charged at the fallen Neptune, but suddenly, a blast of supersonic speed flew by, knocking Fearow back, and blasting all the fallen leaves into the air, creating a small cyclone. Lysa's eyes brightened when she saw her savior within the leaf tornado.  
  
"It's Nail! He's all better!" Lysa exclaimed.  
  
Eric turned around to see the nurse from the Pokemon Center smiling.  
  
"It's miracle," she said, "In all my years of Pokemon care, I've never seen a Pokemon recover from the Pokerus like that. Its injuries are healing nicely too."  
  
"SWEEEEELLLLLLLOW!!!" Nail screeched, ramming into Fearow. The two birds landed onto the ground, tumbling over each other, biting and pecking. Lysa cheered Nail on, but Eric looked concerned.  
  
"Why would a Fearow attack the shrine anyway?" he thought to himself.  
  
Then the answer hit him.  
  
Eric hurried over to the shrine and opened the front doors. He saw all kinds of food inside, most likely used as food offerings to Jirachi (who never showed up to eat them, mind you.)  
  
Upon lifting the food out of the shrine, the Fearow ceased its attack and went for Eric, snatching the morsel out of his hand.  
  
"Y'see Lysa! This is why Pokemon constantly attack this place. You can't leave food lying around!" Eric exclaimed.  
  
"B-But the food was meant as an offering to Jirachi..." Lysa said timidly.  
  
"Look Lysa, I seriously doubt this 'Jirachi' even exists, and even if it does, you can't leave food around like that." Eric said.  
  
The Fearow happily ate all the food, and prepared to lift off, but Kristen stopped it.  
  
"Y'know, Lysa, that Fearow seems to like the food here. You could keep it here to help protect the shrine." Kristen suggested.  
  
Lysa turned to the large bird, who was sniffing around for more food.  
  
"Would you like that, mister Fearow?" she asked.  
  
The Fearow replied with a happy squawk.  
  
While everyone in the group was smiling and laughing, Lysa approached Kristen slowly.  
  
"U-Um, miss Kristen? Do you think you can take Nail with you on your travels?" she asked.  
  
"Huh?! Why would you want me to take your Swellow?" Kristen replied, shocked.  
  
"Well, because Nail is getting old, and he's been here his entire life. I thought it would be nice for him to travel around Hoenn with you."  
  
"That's very thoughtful of you Lysa," Kristen said, reaching down and patting her head, "You're very mature for your age, and I'd be happy to take Nail with me, if it's ok with him, of course."  
  
"Sweeelll!" Nail screeched, happily.  
  
"Well then it's settled," Eric said, his arms folded, "Let's get this show on the road."  
  
The group said their good-byes to Lysa, the nurse, and the new Fearow as they headed onto Route 102. Eric stood on a hill, and squinted onto the horizon, he could just make out Petalburg from here. Eric glanced down at Talon, who was amusing himself by chewing on some grass. Looking back over at Petalburg, he pointed his finger at the horizon.  
  
"Dad, I'm coming."  
  
Meanwhile, high in the sky, a golden light shone. The angelic creature flew over Oldale town, watching over Lysa. A young girl's wish had been granted today. Granted by Jirachi, the Wish Maker.  
  
Next Chapter: The Masquerain Masquerade 


	4. The Masquerain Masqerade

The morning sun shone brightly as another day of Pokemon training begun. The traveling trainers Eric and Kristen were headed toward Petalburg City, where his father, the Gym Leader resided. The two had stopped to take a break, as the unforgiving sun was showing no signs of cooling down. Eric was busy preparing Talon, his Torchic for the upcoming match against his father. Kristen was brushing her new Swellow, Nail, while her Mudkip, named Neptune, soaked in a shallow river.  
  
"Okay, Talon! Ready.....aim.......NOW! Use Ember!" Eric shouted.  
  
Talon hopped into the air, chirping loudly, before blasting a nearby rock with small flames. The embers easily singed the boulder, leaving a small mark on its side.  
  
"Great job!" Eric praised, petting Talon on his head.  
  
Kristen, however, wasn't as pleased.  
  
"Eric, it's great that your Torchic has mastered Ember and all....but you should work on its other attacks as well."  
  
"Huh? What do you mean? Talon's fine with Ember." Eric laughed, "What's the point of having him learn melee attacks if his opponents can't get near him?"  
  
"Because," Kristen started, "If you run into an opponent that is resistant to Fire-type attacks, you'll be stuck."  
  
"Yeah, well what are the odds of that happening?" Eric retorted.  
  
Nail turned his head toward some rustling bushes, interrupting the conversation. Eric and Kristen both looked on, curious to see if it was a wild Pokemon.  
  
It wasn't a wild Pokemon, but a young boy, around the age of 10 or 11. His large, straw hat that was almost double the size of his head overshadowed his blue shorts and sleeveless white shirt. Stumbling out awkwardly, he smiled weakly and prepared to keep walking, but when he noticed Eric's Torchic he stopped.  
  
"Hey, is that Pokemon yours?" the boy asked.  
  
"Hm? Oh are you talking to me? Yeah that's Talon, my Torchic." Eric laughed.  
  
"My name's Michael, wanna have a Pokemon battle?"  
  
"A battle? Um, sure, fine by me. My name's Eric, by the way."  
  
"Alright, I'll go first," Michael said, "Go! Surskit!"  
  
Michael threw a Pokeball in front of Eric and Talon, and watched as a small circular Pokemon sprouted from the light. Blue, with long spider-like legs and two beady eyes, with a small golden horn on the top of its head.  
  
"Sur! Surskit!" it peeped.  
  
Eric flipped out his Pokedex to get some info on the small creature.  
  
Surskit: The pond skater Pokemon. These Pokemon are known for their thin legs that allow them to slide on the surface of water. The gold colored antennae on the top of its head can secrete a sugary substance to distract enemies.  
  
"Alright Talon! You up for a battle?" Eric called.  
  
"Tor! Torrr!" Talon responded eagerly.  
  
"Alright then! Let's go! Talon!! Ember attack!!" Eric ordered.  
  
Talon jumped into the air, inhaled, and then exhaled its famous embers, sending them toward the Surskit at full speed. Michael's Surskit attempted to dodge, but it was very clumsy on land, and managed to take a few hits.  
  
"Surrrr..." it squealed.  
  
"You okay, Surskit?" Michael asked, and the bug replied by nodding, "Good. Use Bubble attack!"  
  
The Surkit fired off many glowing bubbles at Talon with powerful force, slamming into him and knocking him back into the grass.  
  
"Eric! Watch out! Fire Pokemon are weak against Water-type attacks!" Kristen called from the sidelines.  
  
"Ya think I don't know that?!" Eric replied, "Talon, can you stand buddy?!"  
  
Talon slowly got to his feet, but the Surskit replied with another blast of Bubble. This time Talon was prepared, and he jumped to the side and countered with a spray of Ember. Surskit was knocked back into the trunk of a tree, where it regained its composure and awaited orders.  
  
"Talon! Let's try a different attack! Scratch it!" Eric commanded.  
  
Talon began to run at Surskit, who was still standing there awaiting its next order. Talon continued to run at full speed, and jumped into the air, where it aimed its feet and tried to scratch at Surskit.  
  
"Oh no you don't! Surskit, why don't we give that Torchic a whiff of your Sweet Scent?!" Michael laughed.  
  
Surskit lowered its head, aiming its antennae at the still airborne Talon. A pink billowy haze sprayed from the tip this time, and the second Talon inhaled the aroma, it blushed and fell onto its butt, drooling.  
  
"Talon! C'mon buddy! Shake it off!" Eric called.  
  
Talon continued to stay in la-la land, leaving him open for another attack. Michael commanded a Quick Attack, and Surskit quickly rushed at Talon, leaving a glowing streak of energy behind it.  
  
"TALON!! GET OUT OF THERE!!!" Eric roared.  
  
His trainer's bellow was more than enough to snap him out of the trance, and Talon desperately side stepped the Quick Attack, revealing Surskit's back, and giving him an opening to attack.  
  
"Now Talon! Quickly! Use Ember!!"  
  
Talon blasted multiple embers at Surskit's back, damaging it greatly, but it was still not enough to knock it out. Surskit turned around and attempted another Quick Attack, but Talon was prepared.  
  
"Ok ready Talon? Use Peck attack!" Eric yelled.  
  
Talon rushed at Surskit(who was, in turn, rushing at him.) and both Pokemon collided. When the smoke cleared, Talon stood over a knocked out Surskit, smiling.  
  
"Alright! We did it! Great job Talon!" Eric laughed.  
  
Kristen's Neptune rushed over and congratulated Talon, and Nail flew down toward them to also chat. Meanwhile, Michael sighed and withdrew his Pokemon.  
  
"Aww, return Surskit. Man, it seems like we'll never win a battle...." Michael said, depressed.  
  
"Hmm, well your Surskit is very strong, but it's just that you come up against the wrong kind of opponent." Eric laughed.  
  
Kristen glared at Eric, then looked at Michael.  
  
"Actually, you would have won that battle if Eric had ordered a Scratch attack instead of Peck." she said.  
  
"Huh? What are you talking about? I won the second he challenged me!" Eric retorted.  
  
"Oh will you get over yourself? I'm surprised you even realized Flying-type moves are effective against Bugs." Kristen teased back.  
  
"Huh? Flying type moves?" Eric asked, "I just told Talon to use Peck 'cause I thought it would look cooler when the attack hit."  
  
Kristen fell over at this, flabbergasted at Eric's lack of combat knowledge.  
  
"Y-You mean to tell me, that you didn't know that Peck was going to be a super effective hit?" Kristen asked, twitching.  
  
"Nope! I guess it was a fluke!" Eric said, grinning.  
  
At least, he was grinning, before Kristen punched him in the face and knocked him out. Panting, Kristen berated Eric and turned around to Michael, who was now shaking in fear after witnessing the brutal, yet comical display of violence.  
  
"Why are you so upset about losing? You have plenty of battles ahead of you." Kristen said.  
  
"Yeah but....it's my brother....he is always one step ahead of me, and I really want him to respect me, like I look up to him." Michael responded.  
  
"Your brother huh? I bet he is a strong Pokemon trainer." Kristen replied, "And he probably has more experience than you."  
  
"Yeah, that's true."  
  
"So, then don't worry about it too much. If anything, too many wins will make you as pig headed as this guy over here." Kristen said, pointing to the still toppled Eric.  
  
"Gahhhhhh...." Eric gurgled, still in a daze, "That punch was super effective..."  
  
The crisp afternoon summer air wrapped its smile over the region of Hoenn, as the three kids wandered through the grasslands surrounding Petalburg.  
  
"Are we there yet?" Eric whined.  
  
"No." Michael responded.  
  
"Are we there yet?" Eric asked again.  
  
"No."  
  
"Are we there yet?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Are we there yet?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Are we there yet?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Are we there yet?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Are we—"  
  
"SHUT UP!!!" both Michael and Kristen shouted.  
  
Eric meekly retreated toward the back of the group and began to fiddle with the buttons on his Pokedex.  
  
"Don't worry Eric, I'll tell you when we get there." Michael said, feeling sorry for yelling.  
  
"Well good," Eric replied, folding his arms, "I want to see how good of a trainer this "brother" is."  
  
"Oh he's very good, all of his Pokemon are well trained at battling." Michael responded.  
  
"Sounds interesting." Kristen said.  
  
The group finally arrived at a small pond, where a young man, similar to Michael in appearance, was standing. Upon hearing the trainers approach, he turned around and spoke.  
  
"Oh, hey bro finally back from your "training"? And who are these guys you've brought along?"  
  
"This is Eric and Kristen," Michael said, "And you guys, this is my brother Jake. Jake, I almost beat Eric in a Pokemon Battle, but he turned the tables and beat me at the last second. Now he wants to challenge you." "Ha!," Jake laughed, "If you almost beat him, what makes him think that he is any match for me?"  
  
After hearing this Eric's blood began to boil like the lava pits of Mt. Chimney. Grabbing Talon's Pokeball from his waist, he popped it open and released Talon.  
  
"Ok big guy, let's put your money where your mouth is! Release a Pokemon! I'm challenging you to a battle!" Eric yelled.  
  
"Fine." Jake said, tipping his straw hat to shield his eyes from the sun, "I choose Heracross!"  
  
Jake threw a Pokeball and watched it burst open to unveil one of his prized Pokemon. Almost his trainer's height, Heracross was truly a formidable contender to stand in front of. Dyed in a shade of navy blue that made its gold eyes stand out even more, the gigantic beetle lifted its prickly forearms into a battle position, readying itself for combat.  
  
"Herakurossuuu!" it cried, its raspy voice sending both Eric and Talon into a frightened tremble.  
  
"If you want to back out of the fight, I understand." Jake snickered.  
  
"I'm not backing anywhere. Talon you ready?" Eric yelled.  
  
"Torchic!" Talon chirped.  
  
"Eric," Kristen called, "Talon's got a type advantage. Now is the perfect time for you to go Ember-crazy."  
  
"Ya hear that Talon?" Eric said, turning his head back to the battlefield, "We get to Ember all we want. So let's show Jake and his Heracross how it's done!"  
  
Talon blasted a barrage of Ember toward the Heracross. The huge beetle stood stationary, preparing for the oncoming attack. Jake just let out a "feh" and smiled.  
  
"Heracross, show Eric and his little chick here how we deal with Ember attacks." Jake called.  
  
Heracross' gold eyes narrowed down as it stared down the Embers that were fast approaching. Lifting up both arms, Heracross prepared to strike.  
  
"Heeerrrraa!!" it cried as it swung its arms rapidly. The sheer speed from its arms created a blue blur that deflected the Embers. The small fireballs flew into all kinds of directions, leaving Heracross completely unharmed.  
  
"Tor?!" Talon cried in disbelief.  
  
"No way, it negated the attack completely." Eric gasped.  
  
"Eric, maybe you should take this trainer more seriously..." Kristen urged.  
  
"See? I told you!" Michael cried.  
  
"Hah!," Jake tipped his hat over his eyes, "Heracross finish this! Megahorn!"  
  
Heracross spread and began to flap them rapidly, taking off. As it sped for the shocked Talon its single large horn began to glow a shining white, crackling with energy. It was only a matter of seconds before Heracross flew into Talon at full force, slamming him with its horn and sending him tumbling on the dirt.  
  
"Talon! No!" Eric cried out as he ran over to his fallen Pokemon. Lifting up the bruised Pokemon and holding him tight, he scanned his body to make sure there weren't any serious injuries. When he was sure that Talon was simply knocked out, he recalled him back to his Pokeball. When Eric looked back up, he noticed that Kristen was stepping up to plate.  
  
"Okay, my turn," she said calmly, "I'm breaking in my newest Pokemon. Go Nail!"  
  
Kristen released Nail from his Pokeball and watched as the black bird took to the skies. Jake just chuckled to himself and recalled Heracross. Grabbing a new Pokeball from his belt, he tossed it and awaited the trainers' shocked expression. Emerging from the light, this new Pokemon was even more fearsome than the last. It was similar looking to Heracross, in that it was a beetle, but this Pokemon's skin was brown, dry, and bumpy. Its two beady eyes centered on Nail, and on its head rested two, huge horns with spikes protruding from the sides. The Pokemon beat its chest with its long, lanky arms, and released a loud battle cry.  
  
"A Pinsir!" Kristen said, surprised.  
  
Eric flipped his Pokedex out to get some info on the behemoth:  
  
Pinsir: The Stag Beetle Pokemon. This fearsome bug Pokemon will attempt to grab its opponents with its giant horns and crush them alive. If this Pokemon encounters an opponent it cannot crush, it will fling it off to the side. Its long arms can also be used for punching and grabbing.  
  
"Geez, that thing looks tough!" Eric exclaimed.  
  
"Hopefully, Nail can take it! Nail, use Wing Attack!" Kristen yelled.  
  
Nail flapping its wings rapidly, then flew toward Pinsir at blinding speed. Then, the Swellow fanned out its right wing and focused its might into it.  
  
"SWEEEELLLLLLLOOOOOWWW!!!!"  
  
The wing slammed hard into Pinsir, knocking it off of its feet. Pinsir slammed onto the ground hard, creating small tremors in the earth. Nail hovered in the air above, awaiting its next order.  
  
"Hmm, your Swellow seems to have a great deal more experience in battle then that Torchic did." Jake said, calmly.  
  
Pinsir slowly got up to its feet, but Nail was already prepared and swooped down for another Wing Attack. This time, Pinsir wasn't taking Nail for granted. It opened its horns and caught the Swellow between, squeezing and crushing its ribs. Nail wheezed as the air was forced out of its lungs. When Eric glanced over at Kristen, he saw a look of horror wrap its way over her face.  
  
"Wait—I give up! Your Pinsir is obviously stronger than my Swellow." Kristen cried out, recalling it back into its Pokeball.  
  
Jake recalled his Pinsir, and turned his back to the trainers.  
  
"See? I told you, it's a waste of time. I'm training for the Pokemon League, and you low level trainers couldn't possibly beat me."  
  
There was nothing Eric or Kristen could say to defend themselves. Jake was right, he was the better trainer in this case. Eric thought about how he would have to train Talon hard to make him as strong as the Pokemon he faced today.  
  
"I think that loss was just what you needed to take your ego down a peg." Kristen said to Eric.  
  
"Me? What about you, you lost just as bad!" Eric argued back. While the two teens argued over there losses, Michael slowly stood up and approached his big brother. He grabbed his pants leg and tugged until Jake turned around and acknowledged his presence.  
  
"What do you want, squirt?" Jake asked.  
  
"U-Um, can I b-battle you too, bro?" Michael stammered.  
  
After hearing this, Jake began to laugh uncontrollably, but when he looked down, he saw a look of determination in Michael's eyes. That same look that he had when he first started Pokemon training.  
  
"All right," Jake said, smiling, "Let's battle."  
  
Eric and Kristen sat on the edge of a small stream as spectators onto the coming match. They watched as Michael nervously sent out his little Surskit. Jake pulled a Pokeball of his own out from his bag, enlarged it, and prepared for, in his mind, an easy battle.  
  
"What Pokemon do you think Jake is gonna use, Kris?" Eric asked.  
  
"Well, I'm guessing it's gonna be a bug type, since that seems to be his forte." Kristen replied.  
  
"Go! Masquerain!!" Jake yelled, as he tossed the Pokeball.  
  
Once again, brilliant white energy shot from the ball and formed into a Pokemon. But this time the energy materialized in the air, and took the form of what seemed two gigantic eyeballs and a very small body. Upon seeing this, Eric shrieked and hid behind Kristen, who just sighed.  
  
"Eric, I swear, you're like a little kid sometimes. That is a Masquerain, the 'eyeballs' are its wings, look closer." She said calmly.  
  
Eric took another glance at the fearsome Pokemon. What Eric thought were huge eyeballs were indeed just wings sprouting from the tiny bug body. Its face was similar to Surskit, in that it looked innocent and sweet with its beady little eyes, and it had small diamond-like appendages sprouting from its abdomen. Michael's Surskit nervously trembled as the large insect stared it down. Eric flipped out his Pokedex once again to gain some info on the creature.  
  
Masquerain: The Eyeball Pokemon. The evolved form of Surskit, this Pokemon's large wings appear as eyeballs, which it uses to frighten its opponents. If it wings appear droopy, then it could mean a heavy rainfall. This Pokemon can flap all of its wings very rapidly, allowing it to move in any direction in the air.  
  
"Oh ho! This thing evolves from Surskit!" Eric exclaimed.  
  
"Maaaaasssssss" the overgrown bug cried as it loomed over the Surskit.  
  
"I'll let you have the first move!" Jake called out, confidently.  
  
"U-Um, okay," Michael feebly stuttered, "Surskit! Try a Bubble attack!"  
  
"Surrrskit!" it squealed as it fired off a volley of glowing bubbles at Masquerain. The attack made a direct strike, but it barely damaged the intimidating Pokemon. The Surkit tried another blast of Bubble, but this time Masquerain side-dodged, and swooped down.  
  
"Masquerain! Quick Attack!" Jake called. Masquerain zipped from side to side, confusing Surskit before striking it hard. The tiny pond skater flew backwards into the river, going underwater for a couple of seconds, and then resurfacing to continue fighting.  
  
"Surskit try to lure it in with a Sweet Scent!" Michael called.  
  
Surskit lowered its head and released a pink haze that engulfed Masquerain. As the cloudy smog enveloped him, the enemy Pokemon beat its wings harder and more rapidly, dissipating the intoxicating gas.  
  
"That's not fair!" Michael whined.  
  
"What's not fair? Using gaseous attacks against a Pokemon who creates its own wind source is just plain foolhardy!" Jake laughed, "Masquerain, use Bubblebeam!"  
  
"Raaaaaaain!" the Masquerain cried as it blasted a huge spray of bubbles at Surskit, who barely managed to dodge them, and took some damage in the process. But Surskit was in the open for another attack, and Jake knew this as well.  
  
"Masquerain, finish it with Silver Wind!" Jake ordered.  
  
Masquerain's wings began to glow and it beat them harder than before. Large energy waves shot from its wings toward little Surskit, who stood right in the line of fire.  
  
"This looks like it!" Eric yelled.  
  
"Surskit! So something!!" Michael screamed.  
  
Suddenly, Surskit's body began to glow and shimmer. Soon, its entire body was out of view and it became a big, bright, aura. Its body then began to reshape and form into that of a Masquerain. Its wings sprouted and it flapped them a couple of times to test them out. Taking flight, the Masquerain quickly dodged the array of Silver Wind.  
  
"Oh man! It evolved!" Kristen exclaimed.  
  
"Sweet! Now, it's Masquerain versus Masquerain!" Eric said.  
  
Michael just stood in awe. His Surskit, the very Pokemon he cared and raised for, evolved. The big insect hovered over to Mike and allowed him to pet it.  
  
"I-I can't believe it...you evolved!" he exclaimed.  
  
"Great job." Jake complimented, "Now on with the battle."  
  
"Ok! Masquerain, use Quick Attack!" Michael yelled.  
  
Michael's Masquerain rushed at Jake's Masquerain, but it flew clumsily and awkwardly. Jake ordered his bug Pokemon to use Double Team, and it started to fly in circles around Mike's bug so fast, it appeared as if the match was now 8 versus one. Mike's Masquerain was now extremely confused, and it didn't know which enemy to aim at.  
  
"Now! Bubblebeam!" Jake yelled.  
  
The enemy Masquerains all fired Bubblebeams at Mike's Pokemon, blasting it from all sides. Squealing in pain, Mike's Masquerain fell to the river below. Splashing a bit in the water, the younger Masquerain attempted to fly again, but its wings were wet, and going airborne was now impossible. Michael was defeated.  
  
"Masquerain, it's okay. You did a great job." Michael said, recalling it.  
  
"Lil' bro, you may have lost the battle, but I have to say, I was impressed with the way you were able to handle your Pokemon after it evolved." Jake said.  
  
"Well, it's only 'cause I watch you train yours all the time." Michael replied.  
  
"Still," Jake started, "it was impressive. Listen, I know I'm hard on you sometimes. But that's only cause you remind me of myself. With your new Masquerain, I think we'd make great sparring partners."  
  
"Oh really?! Awesome!" Michael exclaimed, happy to finally earn his brother's respect.  
  
Eric and Kristen clapped. After witnessing the battles today, Eric felt totally different about his training. He now just how strong trainers could get. Eric smiled. He couldn't wait until he was one of the most respected and powerful trainers in the world.  
  
"So, you two are heading to Petalburg, huh?" Jake said, "It's not too far ahead, it's about a couple more days walk, give or take a mile."  
  
"Thanks" Eric replied, "hopefully we will arrive there sooner than later."  
  
"Maybe we'll run into each other some day. Train that Masquerain well, Michael." Kristen said, starting to leave.  
  
"Bye Eric! Bye Kristen! Good luck on your training! See you around!" Michael called, waving.  
  
"See ya Eric! Maybe we will run into each other in the future!" Jake yelled.  
  
Eric and Kristen continued to wander uphill, trying to make good time as they head to Petalburg. Petalburg City, where Eric would have to confront his father...  
  
Next Chapter: Fathers and Sons 


	5. Fathers and Sons

'Where am I?' Eric asked himself. He wasn't too sure of his location, it looked similar to his old bedroom, only everything was a dreary blue. He could hear some faint voices coming from the hallway, so he slipped out from under his bedcovers, his bare feet hitting the cold wooden floor. Eric slowly crept to the door, and listened intently.  
  
"Becoming a Gym Leader is a full-time job! How could you even think about abandoning your family for something like that?!"  
  
"You know that it's always been my dream to do something like that! Now that I've finally gotten my chance, I'm not about to let anything else get in my way!"  
  
"If you want to 'follow your dream' then fine! But I refuse to be any part of it!"  
  
"So then what are you saying?!"  
  
"I'm saying, I don't want you to be part of this family any more!!"  
  
Those voices, the yelling, all of it haunted Eric. They echoed within his brain, and reverberated around inside his head until he couldn't take it anymore. Eric slowly curled up into a fetal position and leaned against the wall, his parent's arguments keeping him company.  
  
Eric gasped as he woke up from his deep sleep. It was still dark out, and the cries of Hoothoot and Noctowl echoed through the forest.  
  
"It was a dream..." Eric muttered.  
  
He looked around the camping grounds. Kristen, Neptune, and Nail were sound asleep. Eric looked over at Talon, who was also sleeping. He put his hand onto Talon's soft body. He stroked his thumb along the small bird's feathers and smiled.  
  
The next morning, the Pokemon were noisily eating breakfast, and the trainers were enjoying some biscuits and stew. Eric lowered the soup ladle down and poured some of the stew into Talon's bowl, to which the chick Pokemon happily chirped.  
  
"You shouldn't feed them human food." Kristen said, "It's not healthy for them."  
  
"You train your Pokemon your way, and I'll train mine my way." Eric retorted.  
  
"Whoa, snappy today, aren't we?" Kristen said.  
  
"I'm sorry, I'm just nervous about seeing my dad." Eric replied.  
  
"Well, I don't know what happened between you two, and it's not really my business, but Petalburg isn't too far ahead, and..."  
  
Some rustling in the bushes cut off Kristen. Eric quickly stood up and looked behind him. The rustling intensified and out popped a small, bristly raccoon-like Pokemon. "It's a Zigzagoon!" Eric laughed as he flipped out his Pokedex.  
  
Zigzagoon: The Tiny Raccoon Pokemon. These common Pokemon can found almost anywhere. They have a keen sense of smell, which allows them to easily detect food or other Pokemon. They also tend to dig up various objects. If threatened, the Zigzagoon will stiffen the bristles in their fur and fire off Pin Missiles.  
  
The Zigzagoon approached Talon's food bowl and sniffed cautiously, then attempted to steal some of the food. Talon was already on top of this, and scratched at the thief while chirping angrily. The Zigzagoon quickly jumped back, and hissed, its nose scrunching up tightly.  
  
"Hmm, why don't you try and capture it?" Kristen suggested.  
  
"I may as well, I mean it doesn't look like it's going anywhere," Eric replied, "Funny, I always thought my first Pokemon capture would something less common then a Zigzagoon. Oh well. Talon! Ember attack!"  
  
Talon reared back and fired a volley of embers at Zigzagoon, who screeched when the red-hot fireballs scorched its fur. Immediately, the tiny raccoon leaped backwards, and stiffened its fur into bristles. Aiming carefully, it fired off glowing needles at Talon, which made direct contact.  
  
"Torrr!" Talon cried out in pain.  
  
"Ah! That must've been its Pin Missile attack." Eric exclaimed.  
  
The Zigzagoon fired another blast of Pin Missile, but Talon countered with an Ember and negated the attack. Then, the small bird rushed at the raccoon and used its Peck attack, knocking Zigzagoon out. Eric reached into his bag and pulled out an empty Pokeball.  
  
"Ok! Pokeball! Go!" Eric cried, as he chucked the red and white sphere at the wounded Pokemon. The ball struck Zigzagoon and bounced into the air, opening up. Zigzagoon's body turned into red energy and sucked into the ball, causing it to close. The Pokeball fell to the ground, shaking violently. One shake, two shake...  
  
The ball leaped into the air and burst open, the shimmering light reforming into Zigzagoon, who immediately tackled Talon to the ground.  
  
"Zig! Zigzagoon!" it rasped.  
  
"Ah man, it didn't work!" Eric whined, "Ok Talon! Try another Ember!"  
  
Talon obeyed its orders and fired off another blast of Ember, but the Zigzagoon dodged the move easily by running and zipping from side to side.  
  
"What the heck?!" Eric yelled.  
  
"Why do you think they are called Zigzagoon?" Kristen said, dully.  
  
Eric ordered Talon to spray Ember everywhere, and it obeyed, blasting the Zigzagoon with enough firepower to give a pyromaniac a field day. The tiny raccoon, burnt to a crisp, fell down to the ground, unconscious. Eric grabbed the empty Pokeball and decided to give it another go.  
  
"Pokeball, go!" Eric exclaimed again, while throwing the ball.  
  
Once again, the ball sucked Zigzagoon into it and fell to the ground. It shook once, twice, finally three times before the button popped out and a "ping" sound could be heard, signaling capture. Eric laughed, it was a nervous chuckle at first, but it exploded into hearty laughter. Then he danced crazily around the Pokeball, whooping loudly. Talon, watching his trainer dancing, decided to join in, and the duo were both shaking it like it was 1999 around the Pokeball, leaving Kristen and her Pokemon to stare on in disbelief.  
  
"Hehehehehe! Talon we did it! We captured our first Pokemon together!" Eric laughed.  
  
"Tor! Torchic!" Talon chirped happily.  
  
Eric grabbed the Pokeball and opened it, releasing his newly captured Zigzagoon. It groaned slowly, still hurt from the battle. Eric reached into his bag and pulled out a Potion. Shaking the bottle up, he sprayed it onto the raccoon, which writhed from the stinging sensation.  
  
"There, there." Eric said, soothingly, "it's gonna make you feel better."  
  
"Gooooon" the Zigzagoon cooed, within seconds, its wounds disappeared, and it got up.  
  
"There. Now, you need a name. I was thinking Tanooki. How does that sound?" Eric said.  
  
"Zig! Zig!" the Pokemon cried happily.  
  
"Then it's settled. You are now known as Tanooki!" Eric laughed.  
  
Tanooki sniffed at Eric's jeans, going up the pant leg to his pockets. Then he stuck his muzzle into Eric's pocket and grabbed a Pokemon Treat.  
  
"Hey! You only get that whilst we're training!" Eric cried in protest.  
  
But it was too late, the raccoon was already snacking on the treat, leaving Eric to scratch his hair in awe. When it suddenly occurred to him that his Pokemon wasn't following orders, he reached down and attempted to grab what was left of the Pokemon Treat. However, Tanooki growled viciously at Eric, causing him to quickly retract his hand.  
  
"Whoa! What's your problem, buddy?" Eric cried.  
  
"It looks like this Zigzagoon is very food motivated." Kristen chuckled.  
  
After finishing the first treat, Tanooki began to sniff at his trainer for another, but Eric quickly recalled it into its Pokeball. Eric was dumbfounded. The concept of having a Pokemon that was as rambunctious as Tanooki was unforeseen by him.  
  
"Geez, that little guy has got some issues. Anyway, Petalburg ain't too far from here. Let's go." Eric said.  
  
The rest of the walk to Petalburg was rather monotonous, as Eric and Kristen were forced to follow the linear road in the blazing summer heat. But they finally reached the bustling city, which was plagued by heavy traffic and congested walkways. Eric saw some bums asking for money on the sidewalk, blind people begging, and the occasional Rattata or stray Meowth. In the windows of buildings, people whose apartments weren't equipped with air conditioners were panting on the windowsills. Overall, the bustling left both Eric and Kristen surprised, as they were used to the quiet backwater town of Littleroot. Trying to find the Pokemon Center, Eric stopped the nearest man, who looked to be in a hurry to work.  
  
"Um, excuse me sir, where's the nearest Pokemon Center?" Eric asked, politely.  
  
"Urrgh, I don't have time for this, sorry kid," the man replied, rather gruffly before walking off. Eric and Kristen decided to attempt to find the Center themselves, and after about an hour of wandering, they came to the conclusion that they couldn't.  
  
"Okay...we are getting no where." Kristen mused.  
  
"Yeah, and I didn't even see my dad's Pokemon Gym." Eric muttered.  
  
A flock of Pidgeys flew overhead, surprising the two trainers. Since they were only ones on the street who jumped, their status as newcomers was made blatantly obvious. A Pokemon trainer walking her small tiger-colored Pokemon wandered by Eric, who scanned it with his dex.  
  
Growlithe: The Puppy Pokemon. This Pokemon's fur is able to store heat, allowing it to burst powerful Flamethrower attacks. Growlithes are very friendly and loyal Pokemon, they will guard their trainers to the bitter end. When battling against them, take caution, as they usually hunt in packs in the wild.  
  
"She's probably going to a Pokemon Center, let's ask her." Kristen suggested.  
  
"Yeah, good idea." Eric replied as he made his way over the young woman. "Excuse me," Eric started, "Where is the nearest Pokemon Center?"  
  
The woman was slightly surprised by the question, but then she figured that the kids were travelers. "The nearest one is about....3 blocks from here, that way." she said, pointing east.  
  
"Thank you so much!" Eric said, before he and Kristen headed off.  
  
The interior of the Petalburg Pokemon Center wasn't too different from the Oldale one, but at the same time, it was. Above all things, it was certainly larger, due to the fact that it was in an urban environment. Also, it was much busier, trainers were out and about, some of them cuddling their Pokemon, others looking worried as if they had pushed one of their loyal companions too far.  
  
After the nurse revitalized Eric's Pokemon, he noticed that Kristen had relocated to the phone stations at the other end of the lobby. Upon approaching her, he saw a familiar face on the videophone screen. It was hard for Eric not to recognize the rugged beard and grizzly brown hair. It was Professor Birch, whom he hadn't seen in quite awhile. The professor saw Eric from behind Kristen through the camera.  
  
"Hello Eric. We were just talking about you," the professor said in his gruff voice.  
  
"Yeah Eric. I was just telling dad about those bug trainers we met a while back." Kristen said.  
  
"Did you tell him how I kicked that Jake guy's butt?" Eric exclaimed.  
  
"No," Kristen said dully, "I told him how he utterly destroyed you."  
  
At that, Eric and Kristen burst into another argument, Eric bantering about how Kristen lost to Jake as well, and Kristen retaliating with how she didn't try and lie about it. It finally took a loud shout from Birch to calm them down, and he proceeded to change the subject.  
  
"So how are your Pokemon doing?" Birch asked nervously, "Did you capture any others?"  
  
Kristen released Neptune the Mudkip and Nail the Swellow. Both Pokemon cried happily upon being released from containment.  
  
"This is my new Swellow, Nail." Kristen said.  
  
"Hmm, this Pokemon looks like it's got some age on it." Birch said.  
  
"Yeah, he's pretty old, but strong." Kristen said, establishing the bird's gender to the professor, "He's got years of battling experience."  
  
"Neptune is looking well," Birch said, smiling, "I'm glad to see you're taking good care of him."  
  
"Want to see my Pokemon, professor?" Eric asked.  
  
Professor Birch nodded, and Eric released Talon, his Torchic first. Birch commented that Talon was certainly looking healthy and a lot tougher, due to the recent battles it engaged in.  
  
"Yeah Talon is really tough. His Ember attack has gotten me through a couple of tough battles. And I captured a new Pokemon today! Check him out."  
  
Eric grabbed Tanooki's Pokeball and popped it open, revealing the prickly Zigzagoon. It shook its fur around a bit, blinked, and barked happily.  
  
"This is Tanooki! My new Zigzagoon!" Eric exclaimed.  
  
"Hmm, he looks healthy as well. Good to see you have a fine eye for wild Pokemon." Birch said.  
  
"Hey Tanooki, say hi to the professor." Eric suggested, but the tiny raccoon ignored Eric's command and sniffed around the lobby floor.  
  
"Looks like it needs a lesson in obedience." Birch said, "Pokemon aren't automatically your friends you know, you have to work with them."  
  
"Yeah, I guess," Eric sighed, "On another note, I'm challenging my father today."  
  
"How?" Birch asked quizzically, "You don't have any badges."  
  
Eric cocked his head in confusion, "What do you mean? I'm going there to get my first badge."  
  
"You don't understand. Your father is a 5th level Gym Leader. Which means you need 4 Badges to face him for the Balance Badge. The only level 1 Gym Leader around here is the one at Rustboro City." Birch corrected.  
  
Eric was at a loss for words. He had come so far only for his Gym Match to be shot down.  
  
"It's not that bad," Kristen said, "Rustoboro City is only on the other side of Petalburg Woods. We could get there in a couple of days."  
  
"Alright...we should leave now, then." Eric said, anxious to go. He recalled Talon into his Pokeball and then got Tanooki's ball out and went to recall him. Then, he realized that the raccoon was nowhere to be found.  
  
"Um, where's Tanooki?" Eric asked, his head swiveling like a Noctowl.  
  
Through her peripheral vision, Kristen caught sight of the rascal scampering out the front door of the Pokemon Center. She quickly alarmed Eric that he was making a break for it, and after closing the video phone connection, the two trainers quickly dashed outside after him. Birch simply sighed and wished Eric good luck as he went back to his work.  
  
"TANOOOOOOOOOKIIIIIIIII!!!" Eric roared as he ran down the streets of Petalburg. There was no sign of his Pokemon anywhere. Soon he began to worry, and started to run faster, nearly crashing into people on the street.  
  
"TANOOKI!! WHERE ARE YOU?!" Eric called.  
  
Turning a corner, he collided into someone hard, they both fell to the ground. When Eric opened his eyes, he saw the person he ran into was a young boy, about his age with wavy dark green hair. He was very sickly looking, pale for lack of a better word, and too skinny to fit his white shirt and navy blue pants.  
  
"O-Oh, I'm s-s-sorry," the boy stammered.  
  
"No, it's my fault. Can't talk now though, sorry!" Eric said.  
  
"Wally, are you okay? What happened?" an older voice called from behind the fallen boy.  
  
Eric looked over whom he assumed to be named Wally, and lost his breath at what he saw. The black pants and suede shoes, the corduroy red sweater. The face, the hair, Eric recognized all of his features. He gasped quietly.  
  
"Dad?"  
  
"Eric?"  
  
Next Chapter: Wally's ambition 


End file.
